67 Year-Old Man On Death Row Regains Freedom After 18 yrs

A 67 year-old convict, Lasisi Yusuf, who has been on death row in Kaduna prison for about 18 years, on Friday, regained freedom after Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State granted him amnesty.

Lasisi, who is an indigene of Kogi State, was arrested over charges of culpable homicide and sentenced to death in 1996 by the state's High Court.

He was transferred to Kaduna Prison in 1997 and has been on death row since then.

Lasisi’s freedom, however, followed intensive advocacy efforts  by Avocats Sans Frontieres France, (ASF, France).

ASF France took up the case through the medium of its Saving Lives, SALI, project, which is targeted at promoting international standards on human rights in Nigeria generally and, the restrictive pronouncement of capital punishment and abolition of death penalty specifically.

Apart from Lasisi, the international body also helped other detainees like; uwaira Tukur, Fatima Haruna and Mohammed Isyaku, regain their freedom from capital offences in Kaduna State.

ASF France Head of Office, Angela Uwandu, said statistics collated for 2013 alone show that over 140 death sentences were handed down in Nigeria bringing the total figure of those on death row to approximately 1,200.

A total of 140 detainees on death row in Nigeria are currently benefitting from the free legal services being offered by ASF France on the platform of the SALI Project.

"What we are aiming for is the protection of the rights of humans whether they are inmates in prison or citizens on the street. The governor must be commended for making a decision that might very well be a sterling example for others who have such powers to emulate" Uwandu said. "ASF France is determined to continue its objective of contributing to the legislative and legal changes towards a restrictive application of capital punishment in Nigeria".

Source: Legit.ng